Deacons

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once, they left their nets and followed him. (Mt 4:18-20)

Rite of candidacy
After of the Aspirancy Period (one year of formation) the aspirants who have been selected by a committee and the Bishop, will submit their own personal petition to the Bishop requesting candicacy. After this is accepted the candidate will then formally continue his formation in the diaconate School of Theology.

Ministry of Reader
At the end of the second year the candidates will petition for and if selected will receive the Ministry of Lector.
They are now the servants of the Living Word of God. Those who receive the Ministry of Lector must be carefully prepared so that when he reads Sacred Scripture the faithful have will have ???????

Ministry of Acolyte
At the end of the third year the candidates will petition for and if selected will recieve the Ministry of Acolyte.
They are now appointed to aid the deacon and to minister to the priest. Some of his duties will include: assisting the deacons and priests in liturgical celebrations, especially Mass; attend the service of the altar, as a special eucharistc minister can distribute communion when appropirate.

Rite of Ordination
At the end of the fourth year, candidate must sign an Oath of Freedom, a Profession of Faith and make a formal petition for Ordination to the Diaconate. If the candidate is married his wife must sign a State of Consent. The candidate draws up and signs his own personal declaration and gives it to the Bishop testifying that they will be receiving the order freely and of thier own accord.

Holy Orders is a unique sacrament
There are two notable ways in which the sacrament of Holy Orders differs from the other sacraments.
One is the fact that Holy Orders can be administered only by a bishop. Only a bishop has the power to ordain priests. An ordinary priest cannot pass his power on to another. The second way in which Holy Orders differs from other sacraments is that Holy Orders is not received all at once.
When we are baptized, we are completely baptized by the single pouring of water. When we are confirmed, we are completely confirmed in a single ceremony. Holy Orders, however, is given by degrees, by successive steps.

Three successive stages:
Like a flower developing from bud to full bloom, so does the sacrament of Holy Orders unfold itself through three stages as it confers successively the powers of deacon, priest, and bishop.

Deaconship, priesthood, and bishopric are the three stages in the sacrament of Holy Orders as it was instituted by Christ. At each stage, as in every sacrament, there is an increase in sanctifying grace. At each stage there is the imprinting of a character upon the soul; each successive character, like a progressively brighter sun, enveloping and containing the one that has gone before.
In that character are rooted the right and the power that belong to the order which is being received.

For the deacon it is the right to baptize, to preach, and to administer Holy Communion.

For the priest it is the power to change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ and to forgive sins.

For the bishop, who alone has the complete fullness of the priesthood, it is the power to confirm and to ordain—to pass the power of the priesthood on to others in the sacrament of Holy Orders.

Then, besides the increase in sanctifying grace and the priestly character with its accompanying power, there is the special sacramental grace which gives to the one ordained a claim upon God for whatever actual graces he may need in the faithful discharge of his office.http://www.beginningcatholic.com/holy-orders.html

These St. Pius X men are currently studying to become deacons. They have just entered into they Ministry of Acolyte.